Post-tsunami harvest outlook remains bleak

ROME, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- Harvest prospects in some of the countries worst hit by the tsunami look bleak, the Food and Agriculture Organization said Tuesday.

The Rome-based agency said not only have existing crops been destroyed, but seeds and machinery for future harvests have also been wiped out. It estimated 2 million people from 12 nations will need food assistance, but called upon governments in Asia and Africa to buy produce locally.

"Since relatively large rice supplies are available in the region, it is recommended that local purchases be made whenever possible in order to meet food aid requirements in the different affected countries, so as to avoid domestic food markets disturbances," said Henri Josserand, FAO's chief of global information.

In Indonesia, crops and infrastructure in Aceh and Sumatra have been completely destroyed, while in Sri Lanka, paddy fields along the eastern and southern coasts have been wiped out. But Thailand, which is the world's largest rice exporter, should be able "to cover the immediate needs in the affected areas of both Thailand and neighboring countries," the FAO said.